Electric-current-supply system.



P. KENNEDY. ELECTRIC CURRENT SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 0012s, 1908.

1,019,483. Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I |NVENTOR ATIORNEYS P. KENNEDY ELECTRIC CURRENT SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIQN FILED come, 190d.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ATTORNEY P.KENNEDY.

ELECTRIC GURRENT SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.26, 1908.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

iIBIB INVENTOR- I P. KENNEDY. ELECTRIC CURRENT SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 001226, 1908. 1,01 9,483. Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

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ml lm nqml INVENTVOR BY ATTORNEYZ PATRICK KENNEDY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

M if nnEcTRIc-c nRENT-sUPPLY. SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

' Application filed October 26, 19Q8. Serial No. 459,485.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK K'sNNEnY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric-Current- Supp-1y Systems; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full,'clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same. The invention relates primarily to.a system for supplyingelectrical energy to translating devices from a generator, andparticularly an intermittently driven generator,

when used in conjunction with a storagebat-tery which'is chargedfromthe'generatcr and discharges to the'translating devices when thegenerator is not in operation.

The invention is of a peculiar value in connection with train lightingsystems in which the storage battery is chargedfrom a generator drivenfrom the axle of the moving vehicle, so that the generator is constantlydriven when the vehicle is in motion and is not driven when the vehicleis at rest.

The invention broadly considered relates to a system of the same generalcharacter as the system described in my application for United StatesLetters Patent filed March ,17, 1908, Serial No. 421,662, and embodiesvarious improvements upon that system.

In that system means are provided for charging the battery automaticallyto its full capacity regardless of the variations in the internalcondition thereof, and yet a long continued overchargeof the battery isautomatically prevented; That system further provides means forpreventing an overdischarge of the battery, and it includes specificallyan index capableof being easily read and which shows approximately thecondition of charge of the battery,'and it further includes a device formaking a permanentrecord of the charge and dischargzpv of the battery.

In accordance with the present invention that system is so modifiedthat'the entire control is automatic, and does not necessitate anydeliberate act on the part of the train hands or the users of thelights, other than the turning on and off of the lights.

The present improvements also include specific modifications in theindicating and recording mechanism,

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the modified indicatingand recording mechanism, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, Fig. 3is an elevation, with parts broken away, of the right-hand end of Fig..1, Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of 1, Fig. '5 is a section onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail showing themechanism for operating the screw which actuates the recording'deviceand also showing the mounting of that screw and its associated parts andof the paper reel of the recording device. Fig. 7 is an elevation partlyin section of the left-hand end of the recording device shown in Fig.'1, together Wit-h the associated parts of the regulator which formspart of the apparatus; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 7 andFig. 9 is a diagram of the circuit connections.

The regulator illustrated in Fig. 7 is of the same general character 'asthe regulator disclosed in my prior Patents #125,194: of November24,1903 and #800,114 of September 19, 1905, though the utility of the.in-

,vention is in no Wise limited to that partic- I ular regulating means,but, on the contrary, any other suitable regulating means may beemployed.

Referring to Fig. 7 of the drawings it will be observed that thesprocket wheel 80 of the indicatingand recording device is driven bychain from the cam shaft 6 of the regulator. Sprocket wheel 30 carries aseries of short charge-indicating pins 31' of which six'are shown,though the number employed depends upon the degree of closeness ofindication desired. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1,which indicates the inert position of the parts, the sprocket wheel 80rotates freely without affooting the indicating mechanism. If, however,the shunt magnet B is excited from the generator. it will attract itsarmature and thereby advancethe star Wheel 32 towardthe face of sprocketwheel until it is in position to be engaged, on its lower side, by thepins 31, and thereby rotated, as the sprocket wheel 30 rotates. Thisrotation of star wheel-323s transmitted throughthe intermediate gearshown to the sprocket wheel 33,. which is secured to the end of-thescrew 34 of the indicating and recording device. This screw is mountedin suitable bearings 35 in the frame of the device and pointer 37, whichmoves overa fixed scale has a traveler ornut 3.6 which carries. a

as shown. The traveler 36 also carries the stylus or pencil 38 whichbears on the paper reel 39 to make a permanent record of the charge anddischarge. The lower end of the traveler 36 carries a projection 40which serves to trip the snap switches (ir and D and C at differentpoints in its movement in either direction, thus opening or closingcircuits that control magnetically operated switches, the functions ofwhich will be fully described later. Sprocket wheel 30 also carries aseries of discharge-indicating plungers 41 shown as eight in number, butthe number of which depends upon the closeness of indication desired.These plungers are held in their retracted positions by springs 42 (seeFig. 8) of various degrees of tension, when the magnet A is not excited.When the magnet A is excited, which occurs when lamps are turned on, aswill be hereinafter explained, its armature will be attracted to turnlever 43 to press the roller 44 on the end of that" lever against thehead of that particular plunger 41 which is in position to engage starwheel 32. This pressure, if it is strong enough to overcome the springof that particular plunger, will force the plunger forward into positionto engage the upper side of the star wheel 32. The number of plungersthat will be thus projected into contact with the star wheel at eachrevolution of the sprocket wheel will depend upon the amount of ourrentflowing to the lamps, because the springs 42 are of progressivelyincreasing strength so that at the minimum currentv which it is desiredto record only one of the plungers 41 will be operated and at themaximum currentthe whole eight will be operated, and at intermediatecurrents an appropriate number of the plungers less than eight will beoperated. It will be observed that'with the plungers in their re tractedpositions they will not engage the star wheel 32 when it is in theposition shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and when the star wheel is inthe advanced position which it assumes upon, the excitation of magnet Bit will lie in the notches shown in the plungers 41, so that the starwheel 32 will not be actuated by those plungers when they are in theirretracted positions in any event. When,however, the plungers are intheir advanced position, and star wheel 32 is retracted, the star wheelwill. be actuated by the portion of the plunger at the right of thenotch, and when the star'wheel is in advanced position, and plunger 41is advanced, the star wheel will be actuated by that portion of theplunger which is to the left of the notch. The resultant effect is thatthe charging current of the storage battery, which through anappropriate shunt energizes magnet will be recorded by the striking ofthe pins 31 against the lower whether any current is flowing to the 'batteries or not. Between the plungers, on the left-hand face of sprocketwheel 30, is a series of inclined cams 45, which serve-to move thearmature of magnet A away from that magnet after it has acted on eachplun- At the right-hand end of the indicating and recording device ismounted the mechanism for turning the paper reel as the worm .34 isturned. On a sleeve at this end of the worm-shaft is loosely mountedratchet wheel 46 with which engages a pawl 47 pivctedt-o the frame ofthe device and arranged to prevent the rotation of ratchet wheel 46 in aclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3. Fixed to the extreme end of theshaft of worm 34, and partakingof the rotary movement thereof, is an arm48 carrying a second pawl 49 arranged to slide over the ratchet 46 in aclockwise direction and to turn that 51, mounted for rotation on astub-shaft supported on the frame. This stubshaft carries a pinion 52,driven by a star wheel 51 which meshes with gear 53 on the end of theshaft of the main paper reel 39, which reel is arranged in conjunctionwith a reverse paper reel 54, as best shown in Fig. 5. These reels aremounted in suitable bearings 55 and 56 respectively.

The regulator used in connection with the present invention is fullydescribed in my prior patents above referred to, but so much of it as isnecessary for an understanding of theupresentinvention is shown in Fig.

-7, in which the rheostat arm Rcontrols the resistance of thefieldmagnet circuit of the generator (as will be understood from anexamination of the diagram of circuit connections). This rheostat arm iscontrolled in its movement'by the regulator magnet E, which has a mainwindings in serieswiththe generator, and ,a reverse mam winding e inseries with the ilamp circuit, the function of which is to weaken theefiect of the main series winding 6 as the lamp current increases, andthereby to 3 increase in a certain proportion the generator current asthe lamps are turned on. As used' in connection with the present sys temthe magnet E, also carries a coil 0 which is in shunt to the generatorcircuit, 3

and is wound in a direction to assist the effect of the series coil 6but does not be- I come effective until the battery is fully 12 toengage the ratchets follows: From charged, aswill be further explained.Armature a of magnet E is carried bylever 11, which is pivoted to astationary support. When the lever 11 is in the normal position, seen inFig. 7, the cam 8, which is splined on the shaft 6 driven by theregulator motor, rotates between two rolls 1.5 and 15 lever sufficientlyto cause the pawls 12 and 10 and 10 which are reversely arranged andattached to the rheostat arm R. Lever 11 is steadied in its normalposition, against the attraction of magnet E, by two springs 16 and 18,and under normal conditions the effect of the springs is balanced by thepull of the magnet to maintain the parts in the inactive position shown,so that although the cam is rotating between the rollers 15 and 15, itdoes not move the rheostat arm. \Vhen, however, the generator currentincreases beyond -the predetermined limit the magnet E is strengthenedand its armature is attracted, turning the lever 11 on its pivot todepress its outer end carrying the pawls 12 and 12. --NVhen this occursthe spring plate 13 is pressed against pawl 12 to force it intoengagement with ratchet 10, whereupon the rocking of the lever 11, dueto the cam 8, turns the rheostat arm R in a direction to cut resistanceinto the field magnet circuit. If the magnet E is weakened, the armatureis depressed by the springs, and the pivoted pawl 12* is made effectiveto cut resistance out of the field magnet circuit. A detaileddescription of this regulating device, which has just been generallydescribed, will be found in my prior patents above mentioned.

Having thus described the mechanical construction and mode of operationof the indicating and recording device, and of the regulating device, weare in a position, upon referring to the diagram of circuit connectionsFig. 9, to understand the. operation of the charging system as a whole.\Ve may assume that the battery is entirely discharged and the generatoris at rest, in which case all the parts will be in the position shown inthe drawings with all the magnets inert. Upon starting the generator I),its field magnet F receives current as the'positive brush, to andthrough a fuse block B through wire 0, rheostat R, wire 0, field magnetF to the negative brush. At the same time the motor M which drives thecam shaft of the regulator will be supplied with current as follows:Through wires 0, h and g, through contacts 10 and w on switch EB throughwire f, through the field and armature of the motor in parallel and wiref back to on lever 11, withoutactuating the.

the negative brush of the generator. The shuntcoils :20 of the automaticcircuit-breaking switch AS are excited by current flowing through (3,72,h, and the coils a; to the junction with wire The automatic switch is soset that when the electromotive force of the generator has reached apoint sufficiently high to warrant the connecting of the generator tothe storage battery, the current through these coils 00 will actuate theautomatic switch AS to close it at the point y and thereby close themain battery circuit (7. This circuit is from the positive brush of thegenerator to and through the fuse block B, through (Z, through serieswinding 6 of the, regulator magnet E,

through the series winding 01: on automatic switch AS and through d tothe positive pole of the battery and through the battery to the negativebrush of the generator.

The capacity of the generator is so chosen that as its electromotiveforce increases, as for example from the increased speed of the train intrain lighting systems, the in crease of the current in the coils c ofthe regulating magnet E almost immediately produces suflicient magnetismto begin to cut resLtance nto the field circuit ofthe generator 1n themanner already described. As soon as this movement has started theswitch 6 (see Figs. 7 and 9) is released by the arm of rheostat R andallowed to close, whereupon current flows from wire (Z through thecircuit a and the coils of the magnet B and wire f to the wire f andback to the negative brush. This current energizes'magnet B and attractsits armature thereby projecting the starv wheel 32 into position to bestruck by the charge-indicating pins 31 on sprocket wheel 30, so that assprocket wheel 30 revolves, starwheel 32 will be struck on its lowerside by the six pins 31 and will, therefore, turn the worm 34 in adirection to indicatea charge of the storage battery. It will beobserved that when the battery is thus being charged from the generator,and the lamps are not burning, the Iiiotor is continuously driven fromthe generator circuit, and the generator is regulatedto a constantcurrent output by the regulating magnet E. The position of pointer 37,resulting from thisdirect charging of the storage battery will,therefore, indicate with substantial accuracy the num; ber of amperehours to which the battery has been charged. When this charge, and theresultant movement of. the pointer 37, has continued to a point wherethe battery has been charged at the normal charging current (which willpreferably be about thirty amperes) for about one hour, then projection40 on nut 36 closes switch G. The function of this switch is to controlthe circuit of the emergency bank of lamps L in such manner that whenthe switch of the main banks of lamps, so that no current can flow tothe main banks unless this switch I) is closed. This switch '1) is pref-4 1- 4 I e contact e", e f

erably so placed with respect to the indicating and recording mechanism.that it is closed when the normal charging current has been flowing tothe battery for about four hours. After the charging has continued tothe full number of ampere hours to which it is intended to charge thebattery, projection 40 on nut 36 will close snap switch 0, therebycutting the charging current down to a point where it is only suflicientto maintain the battery charge-by compensating for leakage and similarlosses, but is not suiiicient to positively charge the battery toexcess; The closing of switch C effects this function by completing thecircuit of the magnet of charge-reducing switch CR," as follows: From ethrough (i, coils on magnet of switch (JR, snap switch C, and through d,f and f to negative terminal. If the battery has been charged to themaximum voltage desired,'say 2;} volts per cell, the armature lever ofswitch CR will close contact 6 completing a circuit through coil eof'regulating magnet E as follows: From e through a coils c and to thenegative terminal. 'If the charging current has not brought the batteryto the desired maximum electromotive force when the switch C is closed,then the generator will continue to s ply the normal charging currentuntil,the electromotive force has reached the desired maximum andthereby closed the potential-operated"switch' OR. The foregoinginstrumentalit-ies, therefore, are so arranged that when the battery ischarged from the generator the indicating and recording device isactuatedto indicate and record the continuation of the full chargingcurrent (which is ordinarily taken at about thirty amperes) for apredetermined period of time, at the end of which time the current isautomatically reduced so as to change it from a charging current to acurrent a .which is so small that it merely serves to maintain thebattery charge, and is in effect merely a maintaining current.

In order that the indicating and recording device shall indicate andrecord a discharge from the storage battery to the lamps the mechanismpreviously described for rotating the worm- 34 in the reverse directionincluding series magnet A and plunger 41,

a lamp is lighted by means of the automatic controlling switch EB in thefollowing manner: \Vhen any lamp on the emergency bank of lamps L, forexample, is turned on a small current will flow in a shunt around themain lamp circuit contacts 0 and through the high resistance coils in ofthe switch EB as foll'ows:-From the point .2 (whichis connected to thepositive terminal of the battery and is also connected to the positiveterminal of the generator) through wire 0, through the coils on themagnet A, wire 0, coils c on the regulating magnet through lamp rheostatR, wire e, wire 6, coils is, wire 6, coils in, wire e and e to theemergency bank of lamps and through the lamp which has been turned onand the return wire to the negative terminal of the battery or generatoras the case may be.

This small current is suificient to attract the armature of the switchEB to close contacts f which, if the snap switch G is closed, that is ifthe battery contains the desired minimum charge, will complete a,

circuit through coils Z on switch EB as follows: From e through f, coilsZ, contacts f snap switch G, wire f, wire 6 and wire f and f to thenegative terminal. When these coils Z are energized the armatureassociated therewith closes contacts e thereby closing the main lampcircuit from the positive terminal of the generator-through fuse block Bthrough wire 03, coils a on the regulator magnet coils w on theautomatic switch, the contacts of that switch, to the point 2 and fromthere through a through coils of series magnet- A, through reverse coilsc? on the regulating magnet E, through c to the lamp resistance andthrough rheostat R to e, contacts 0 series coils k of switch EB, wire 6and e to the emergency bank of lamps. The movement of the armature whichcloses contacts e willopen contacts Q0 and 'w and close contacts w and10 thereby changing the motor supply from the generator to the battery.If the charge to thestorage battery has been continued so long a timethat the snap switch D has been closed current will flow from wire clthrough wire 1, coils of switch LB, wire f, snap switch D, wire 7" towire e wire f and wire f to the negative terminal. This current willexcite the magnet of switch LB and close that switch thereby completingthe circuit to the main bank of lamps L It will, therefore, be observedthat flow of current to the lamps will at once transfer the motor of theregulator from the generator circuit to the battery circuit and will atthe same time excite the magnet A. As the current flow through thatmagnet, which is in series with the lamps, increases the magnet willactuate lever 43 and roller 44 to depress the appropriate number ofplungers 41, thereby giving to the star wheel 32 an appropriate numberof turns in a direction opposite to the movement imparted to the starwheel by the pins 31, thereby indicating a discharge from the battery.

It will be seen then that when the generator is charging the batteriesto the normal amount of thirty amperes, and assuming that no lamps arelighted. each rotation of the sprocket wheel 50 will impart to the starwheel 32 six'movements in a direction to indicate a charge. If, on theother hand, all of the lamps are lighted when the generator is notrunning, and the lamps are being fed from the battery, then eachrotation of the sprocket wheel 30 will impart to the star wheel 32 eightmoven'ients in a direction to indicate a discharge. It will, therefore,be observed that for an equal current flow that movement. of the pointerwhich indicates a discharge is relatively exaggerated, as compared withthe corresponding movement in a direction to indicate a charge. Thiscourse is adopted for the following reasons: (a) It is primarilyintended that the pointer 37 should indicate approximately the num berof ampere hours available in the battery for lighting the lamps. Thenumbers on the scale indicate the hours figured on a basis of, say,thirty amperes, or whatever convenient number is adopted as the normalcharging current. It is afact, however, that the output capacity of abattery falls below the energy which has been expended in charging it bya percentage which is fairly constant and ranges around twelve per cent.One object then of indicating less than the ampere hours of charging isto make up for this loss; (b) it is also true that the effective valueof the charging current varies to some extent on account of the internalcondition of the battery, tempera tuije, etc., and there is a certainloss in the battery from leakage, etc., all of which things tend todiminish the efiective charge below what it would be under theoreticallyperfect conditions. Moreover, a slight overcharge of the battery, or anindication of slightly less chargethan the battery actually contains, isto be preferred to an undercharge or to an excessive'indication, underpractical conditions. Another object, then, of indicating less than theactual ampere hours of charging is to allow for these variations andinsure that the battery shall certainly be capable of giving theindicated output; and rather more than less.

From the foregoing description of the operation of the indicating andrecording device when the battery is being fed from the generator andthe lamps are not burnin and when the batteryis disconnected from thegenerator and the lamps are burning, it

may be understood that when the generatdr is charging the battery, andat the same time the lamps are burning, the operation of the pins 31 andthe plunger-s 41 on the star wheel 32 takes place simultaneously. Thatis. under such conditions the indicating and recording device isactuated by the current flowing to the battery to indicate. a charge andis actuated by the current flowing to the lamps to indicate a discharge.The battery is not, of course. being charged and discharged at the sametime, but when the generator is called upon to carry the load of thelamps the charging current to the batteries is reduced and thisreduction is properly indicated by the actuation of the indi catingdevice in a direction to show a dis charge. For practical purposes lhave found it advantageous to so adjust the regulating magnet E that theamount of resistance cut out from the field magnet circuit, when currentis turned on to the lamps, will allow an increase of the current outputof the generator equal to about one-third of the current taken by thelamps. For example, the storage battery may ordinarily be supplied, whenall the lamps are cut. out, with a current of 30 amperes. suppose that asufticient number of lamps are turned on to take ten amperes, theregulating magnet IE will cut enough resistance out of the field magnetcircuit. to increase the current flowing to 33?,- amperes, of which tenampercs will flow to the lamps and 23,, to the battery. \Vith thiscurrent flow f ten amperes the star wheel 32 will continue to be givensix advance turns by the pins 31, and it will be given but two turns bythe plunger-s 41, those plungers being set so that an additional plungeris actuated upon each increase of five amperes. The result is that thestar wheel 32 will in effect be given but four advance turns, that is,of the advance turns which are given to it when the full current of 30amperes is flowing to the battery, so that the indication ontheindicating device is of what it was before, which in this particularexample would be an indication of twenty amperes, whereas, as a matterof fact, the actual charge to the batteries2 3-1- amperesis somewhat inexcess of of the normal charge of thirty amperes. By this arrangementthe indication of discharge is again relatively exaggerated. for thepurposes described above.

With respect to the recording device it will be observed that upon theadvance turns of the worm 34 the pawl 49 on arm 18 slides over ratchet46 without turning the paper reel, so that the record of the charge willbe a straight line. Upon the reverse actuation of the worm 34, however,the pawl 49 will engage ratchet 46 and turn it and this turning willeventually turn star wheel 51.and through the connecting gear will Ifthen we I turn the paper reel thereby indicating by a broken line theamount of discharge.

It has already been pointed out that when pointer 37 reaches theright-hand end of the scale, projection 40 closes switch C, but if thepotential inthe battery is not high enough to actuate switch CR thecharging current will continue. This would, of course, continue therotation of the worm 34, and that this may be possible the screwthreaded worm is discontinued at the proper point and a spring-pressedcollar 70 slides on the smooth portion of the worm shaft 71. At themoment when'projection 40 actuates switch C to close it, nut 36 runs offthe end of the worm 34 on to the smooth portion 71 of the worm shaft,having at that time moved spring-pressed collar 70 to the right as seenin Fig. 2. The further rotation of the worm 34 can, therefore, takeplace without moving nut 36. If now a discharge begins, nut 36 will beforced on to the thread of worm 34 and the pointer will continue itsindication. The reverse movement of the nut will cause projection 40 toopen snap switch C, thus cutting out coils of switch CR and coils e ofmagnet E. When pointer 37 has been moved back by the discharge untilthere is only an indicated charge of about four hours in the batterythen switch D will be opened automatically, thereby cutting out all thelamps except the emergency circuit, and compelling a conservation of theremaining charge in the battery by limiting its use to the emergencylamps. Upon a further reduction of the battery charge to an indicatedcharge of about one hour, snap switch G will be opened automatically byprojection 40 to cut out the emergency lamps, thereby absolutelypreventing an over-discharge of the battery. The lamp resistance R isinserted for the purpose of regulating the current flow to the lamps andis' automatically controlled by a mechanism similar to the controllingmechanism governed by magnet E, which mechanism forms no part of thepresent-in,-

' vention, but is fully disclosed in my prior patents above enumerated.

This system then provides for so regulating the output of the generatorthat it will charge the battery under constant current conditions,regardless of the electromotive force of the battery (including itsinternal resistance drop) for a' predetermined number\ of. ampere hours;and after that predetermined period of charge has elapsed, the charginautomatically reduced if, or when, the electromotive forceof the batteryreaches a predetermined point, but will not be' reduced until theelectromotive force of the battery does reach that point. This insures afull charge of the battery, but prevents an excessive over-charge. Thesystem also procurrent to the battery willbe vides forautomaticallyopening the battery circuit when its charge has fallen to apredetermined point, to thereby prevent an over-discharge; and morespecifically it. provides for conserving the charge of the battery whenit has fallen below a certain point by automatically cutting out all ofthe lamps except those on the emergency circuit; The system furthermoreprovides an arrangement by which the turning on of any lamp in thesupply circuit will automatically close the main lamp circuit, and whenall of the lamps are turned off the main lamp circuit will beautomatically opened. This automatic controlling switch is, however, soconnected with the indicating and recording device that no current canflow from the battery toany of the lamps, unless a predetermined minimumcharge is contained in the battery and if the charge in the battery isbelow a certain other minimum amount, it-

will be conserved for use exclusively on the emergency bank.

What I claim is 1. In an electric current-supply system, a generator, asupply circuit extending there-, from and containing translatingdevices, a storage battery' shunted across said circuit, and apotential-operated circuit-breaker in the circuit between thestorage-battery and the generator and set to open the circuit when thegenerated electromotive force falls below a predetermined point and toclose the circuit when the generated electromotive force rises to thatpoint, in combination with a switch between the storage battery shuntand the translating devices and having contacts for opening and closingthe translating device circuit, a shunt about said contacts, andmechanism for actuating the said switch contacts exc ted by the currentwhich flows through said shunt when the supply circuit is completedthrough any translating device.

2. In an electric current-supply system, a supply circuit containingtranslating devices, an intermittently operated generator in saidcircuit, a storage battery shunted across said circuit, acurrent-operated regu lator for the generator, a motor constituting anoperative part of said regulator, a switch controlling the flow ofcurrent to the trans: lating devices, and connections controlled by saidswitch for exciting the regulator mov I tor from the generator circuitwhen no current is flowing to the translatlng devlces land from thebattery circuit when current is flowing to the translating devices.

3. In a current-distribution system, a generator, a supply circuitextending therefrom and containingtranslatinggdevices, a

storage battery connected across the circuit,

a switch excited by the current flowing to the translating devices toopen and'close the supply circuit, a device for indicating the charge inthe storage battery, and a switch controlled by the indicating vent theclosing of the supply-circuit swltch when the battery charge is below apredetermined minimum.

.4. In a current-distribution system, a supply circuit containing agenerator and translating devices, a storage-battery connected acrossthe circuit, and a device for indicating the charge in the storagebattery comprising an indicator, means controlled by the current flowingto the storage battery to move the indicator in one direction, and amagnet in series with the translating devices and excited by the currentflowing to said devices to efleet the movement of the indicator in theopposite direction.

5. In a current-distribution system, a supply circuit containing agenerator and transdevice to pre lating devices, a storage batteryconnected across the circuit, and a device for indicating'the charge inthe storage battery comprising an indicator, means controlled by thecurrentflowing to the storage battery to move the indicator in onedirection, a plurality of devices arranged to move the indi cator in theopposite direction, and a magnet in series with the translating devicesfor actuating a progressively increasing number of said plurality ofindicator moving devices as the strength of the current increases.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

- PATRICK KENNEDY. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. DAVIS, LAURA B. PENFIELD.

